160 COLUBRID.E. 



1 7'S. Hypsirhina plumbea. 



Homalopsis jilmnbea, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 560 ; Cantor, Jourii. Asiat. 



Soc. Beugal, xvi, p. 948 (1847). 

 Hi/psirhina 2)lumbea , Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 66 (1842) ; Giintli. Rept. 



Brit. lud. p. 280 (1864) ; Bouleug. Faun. Brit. lud., Kept. p. 376, 



tig. (1890) : id. Cat. Sn. iii, p. 5 (1896) ; S. Flower,. P. Z. S. 1899, 



p. 675. 



Rostral much broader than deep ; iuternasal single (rarely 

 divided), broader than long ; frontal once and half to once and 

 two thirds as long as broad, as long as its distance from the end 

 of the snout, shorter than the pai'ietals ; loreal as long as deep or 

 deeper than long ; one prae- and two postoculars ; temporals 1 -f 2 ; 

 8 upper labials, fourth or fourth and fifth entering the eye ; 4 or 

 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are 

 larger than the posterior ; latter separated by scales. Scales in 

 19 rows. Ventrals 117-139 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 29-46. 

 Brownish or greyish olive above, uniform or with a vertebral series 

 of small black spots ; upper lip and lower parts white, usually 

 with a blackish line along the middle of the tail ; belly sometimes 

 with some blackish spots, or with a median series of blackish dots. 



Total length 485 millim. ; tail 65. 



Burma, JSouthern China, Indo-China, Malay Peninsula and 

 Archipelago. Recorded from Peuang, Perak, Patani States, and 

 Kedah. 



According to Capt. Flower, this snake, ^vhen frightened, will 

 bite fiercely at anything within reach. 



174. Hypsirhina enhydris. 



Hydnts efiJii/dris, Scbneid. Hist. Amph. i, p. 245 (1799). 

 Homalopsis enhydris, Cantor, Jouru. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, xvi, r». 946 



(1847). 

 Hi/psirliitia enJiydns, Giintli. Eept. Brit. Ind. p. 281, pi. xxii, fig. K ; 



Boiileug. Faun. Brit. Ind., Eept. p. 376 (1890) ; id. Cat. Sn. iii, 



p. 6 (1896) ; S. Flower, P. Z. S. 1899, p. 676. 



Rostral twice as broad as deep ; iuternasal single, nearly t^ice 

 as broad as long ; frontal nearly twice as long as broad, as long as 

 or shorter than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as 

 the parietals ; loreal as long as deep or a little longer than deep, 

 in contact ^\ith the iuternasal ; one prse- and two (rarely one) 

 postocidars ; temporals 1 + 2 ; 8 upper labials, fourth entering 

 the eye ; 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, 

 w hich are shorter than the posterior ; latter widely separated 

 from each other. Scales in 21 rows, rarely 23. Ventrals 150- 

 177; anal divided; subcaudals 47-48. Dark grey, brown, or 

 olive above, with two more or less distinct light longitudinal bands; 

 lower parts pale yellow, ^^ith a blackish line along each side of the 

 ventrals and usuall}^ a median blackish line or series of dots. 



Total length 680 millim. ; tail 135. 



India, Ceylon, Southern China and Burma to Malay Peninsula 

 and Archipelago. Recorded from Penang, Kedah, and Singapore. 



